Control device for folding doors



R. L. LEVY June 22, 1943.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 51, 1942 N m. a

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CONTROL DEVICE FOR FOLDING DOORS Filed March 31, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 22, 1943 2,322,372 CONTROL DEVICE FOR FOLDING DOORS Ren Lucien Levy, Paris, France, assignor to Societe dlnventions Aeronautiques et Mecaniques S. I. A. M., Fribourg, Switzerland Application March 31, 1942, Serial No. 437,099 In France November 29, 1940 3 Claims. (o1. 268-68) Certain types of retractable undercarriages for aeroplanes are already known, in which the retraction and lowering of the undercarriage are produced by articulated systems known as selffolding struts, which are capable of folding and extension under the action of a force which is developed in the interior of the strut itself.

Some realizations of these self-folding struts are essentially constituted by two elements, articulated respectively on a third intermediate element, the relative movements of the two extreme elements being coordinated by a small connecting rod or crank articulated on the former elements, and which imposes on these movements a determinate kinematic law. 7

Such self-folding struts have been described in the U. S. Patent No. 2,154,951 to Lvy.

The present invention consists of the application of these types of articulated systems to the opening and closing of folding doors, constituted by two panels, or similar, for instance doors allowing travellers on vehicles for public service to et in and out, and which have to be controlled at distance by the driver or the receiver.

The controlling systems, which have been in use till now for folding these doors as represented for documentation on Fig. 1 of the annexed drawings, cause the pivoting at an angle of 90 of a fixed principal axis I on which is set one of the vertical panels 2 connected by an articulation 3 parallel to axis I, to the second panel 4, the edge 5 of which is imposed to move in a vertical plane XX.

In these conditions, when the door 24 is completely folded on one side of the opening 6, as shown by punctuated lines on Fig. 1, the articulated system is in proximity of a neutral or dead point, so that the control of the door is often hampered by wedg'ing door in this position the door does not respond any more to the controlling strength.

The application of self-folding systems of the considered type to the controllin of these folding doors avoids completely this inconvenience, and ensures a secure movement of the two folding elements, notwithstanding the position in which these two elements may be.

A device according to the invention is illustrated on Figs. 2 to 5 of the annexed drawings in which:

Fig. 2 shows a perspective view of a double panelled folding door according to the invention.

Figs. 3 to 5 are views seen from above of this same door represented in three different positions, which are, namely: closed, half-closed and open.

The door in this example is supposed to run along a running-board of a vehicle and to close its access by extension in the vertical plane X--X (Fig. 3') or to allow its access by folding laterally in the vertical plane ZZ (Fig. 5).

According to the invention, the panels 2 and 4 are not articulated one on the other, as before, but by the intermediary of a third element 8, articulated respectively in 9 and It on each of the panels.

The ends of a crank or connecting rod I3 are articulated on these panels through axis H and I2. A double-effect jack I4, articulated on one hand in l5, on one of the elements (element 2 in the considered example) on the other hand in I6, on the intermediate element 8, and connected, by two tubes Il-I3, to a source of fluid pressure (not represented) and provided with an appropriate valve device, constitutes the motor of this articulated system.

In operation, if a pressure fluid is introduced into the cylinder l4 through the tube [1, it will cause the piston rod 22 to move away from the cylinder l4. Consequently, the upper one of the plates 8 will tend to move away from the tracks 21 and the panels will move into the folded position shown in Fig. 5. On the other hand, if a pressure fluid is introduced into the cylinder I4 through the tube I8 while the panels are folded, an opposite movement will be achieved.

Placing the tubes I1 and I8, respectively to the admission and to the exhaust, produces the extension of the jack I4, and, consequently the folding of the door, starting from the closed position (Fig. 3) to the totally open position (Fig. 5) passing through all the intermediate positions-and reciprocally.

Generally two identical articulated groups, 8 to I3, are fitted up on the tops and bottoms of the interior vertical edges, 19-29, of the panels 2--4, as represented on the figures.

These edges may be provided with rubber or any similar packings, which come in a reciprocal contact in the closed position (Fig. 3) ensuring thus a suflicient fluid-tightness to the door.

For the realization represented as an example in the drawing, the intermediate element 8 (simple or twin system) may be constituted by a relatively thick plate, provided with a lug 2!, on which is articulated by a clevis I6, the piston rod 22 of th jack I4.

On the opposite side of this articulation, a vertlcal bar 23 is mounted on this plate; this bar is connected to the plate 8 of the lower articulated system and presents an easy grip for travellers climbing in or getting out.

On this same realization, the axis 9-40 and ll-I2 are carried by iron-pieces 24-25 having a section in inverted U form, and cover the horizontal edges of the panels and are fastly fixed to these panels, so that they constitute the basis of the whole articulated system.

As known, the vertical edge '5 of the panel 4 is compelled to move in an invariable vertical plane, owing to roller bearings 26, which runs on rails 21.

It is important in this matter to note that in this new application to folding door of a system already known for the controlling of retractable aeroplane undercarriages, the kinematics of the movement of the two folding elements follow a certain law, different of the law that rules the folding of aeroplane undercarriages, for, while in the application presently considered, the edge 5 opposite the fixed axis 1 is compelled to describe a plane, in folding undercarriages the extremity of the element corresponding to panel 4 is compelled to describe a circle or a cylindrical surface.

This difference comes in addition to the fact that the elements to control, in the case of doors,

are panels, i. e. plane surfaces, wherea on undercarriages pivoted struts are concerned. The application on doors of the control system described in the above mentioned patent possesses therefore characteristics of a new application of this system.

According to the invention, this system may be applied, for a single opening, to the control of two pairs of panels, each of these pairs being dependent on a separate articulated system.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a foldin door of the type having a pair of panels with one edge portion of one panel hinged at the doorway and the opposite edge portion of the other panel guided in a vertical plane, connecting elements secured to the other edge portions of the panels, a link pivotally connected to each of said elements, a plate pivotally connected to said elements, and means for operating said plate to cause either lengthening the panels into the same plane or folding them into parallel planes.

2. In a folding door of the type having a pair of panels with one edge portion of one panel hinged at the doorway and the opposite edge portion of the other panel guided in a vertical plane, connecting elements secured to the other edge portions of the panels, a link pivotally connected to each of said elements, a plate pivotally connected to said elements, and means for operating said plate to cause either lengthening the panels into the same plane or folding them into parallel planes, the last mentioned means comrising a piston member and a cy nde e be one of said members being pivotally connected to the plate and the other member being pivotally secured to one of the panels, all of the pivotal connections permitting movement of the parts about parallel axes.

3. In a structure of the character described, a pair of panels, one of said panels having a ver tical edge portion pivotally mounted for movement about a vertical axis, an opposite vertical edge portion of the other panel being guided for movement in a vertical plane parallel to said axis, upper and lower connecting elements secured to the other vertical edge portions of the panels, a link pivotally connected to the upper elements, a plate pivotally connected to the upper elements, another plate pivotally connected to the lower elements, a rail having its ends secured to the plates, one of said plates having an extension, and means operatively connected to said extension for moving the plates to cause opening or closing of the door.

RENE LUCIEN LEVY. 

